MANILA, Philippines - Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) has filed a drug trafficking case against Senator Leila De Lima and seven other individuals with reported links to the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) on Tuesday, October 11.

Is this the beginning of Sen. De Lima’s downward spiral?

Aside from De Lima, the following personalities will also face complaints for the sale of illegal drugs as well as conspiracy to carry out drug trade: former Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III; former Bureau of Corrections chief Franklin Bucayu; De Lima's former security aides Ronnie Dayan, Joenel Sanchez and Jose Adrian Dera alias Jad De Vera; Bucayu's reported bagman Col. Wilfredo Ely; and convicted crime lord Jaybee Sebastian.

In its statement, the VACC stated that each of the personalities had significant roles in establishing the perpetuation of the illegal drug trade inside the NBP.

De Lima’s position, according to the VACC, enabled her to put in position her accomplices at the BuCor allowing her to take control of the drug trade.

“Her influence and power likewise offered respondents in this case shield and protection to ensure the invinsibility in the conduct of their illegal trade; in this same manner that she was also able to eliminate the competitors of Jaybee inside the prison by having them transferred to the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) in December 2014,” VACC said in its complaint.

De Lima: “File case in the proper venue”

In a statement, De Lima questioned why the complaint was filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) and not with the Office of the Ombudsman.

According to De Lima, the DOJ may initially recognize the complaint but the case will be eventually filed before the Office of the Ombudsman.

“Unless they have other reasons for filing it with the DOJ instead of the Ombudsman. Maybe because that is the domain of Aguirre, the master of fakery. Justice under Aguirre is fake,” De Lima said.

Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, Herbert Colanggo’s legal counsel, explained that they decided to put the case under the jurisdiction of the DOJ so the agency can utilize its investigative powers.

Meanwhile, DOJ Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II revealed they are yet to secure documentary evidence against De Lima.--Mini, The Summit Express